Stalin proposes no-confidence motion against TN Speaker

Chennai, April 30 (IANS) DMK President M.K. Stalin on Tuesday sent a letter to the Secretary of Tamil Nadu Assembly proposing a no-confidence motion against Speaker P. Dhanapal. He also submitted the one line no confidence motion against Dhanapal.

On April 26, AIADMK’s Chief Whip S. Rajendran had submitted a petition to Dhanapal to take action against the three legislators for their anti-party activities.

Rajendran said the party had got more proof of their prejudicial activities and hence he submitted the petition to the Speaker.

He said that photographs of the legislators with the Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam (AMMK) General Secretary T.T.V. Dhinakaran have also been been submitted.

In his letter, Stalin, citing the show cause notices to the three AIADMK legislators, said that when the results of the by-elections for 22 Assembly constituencies is expected on May 23, the Speaker’s decision which would change the majority position of the parties will hurt the honour of the House.

In a democracy if the Speaker acts like this, it signifies he is not acting in a non-partisan manner, he said.

Stalin said that on September 18, 2017, the Speaker disqualified 18 AIADMK legislators based on a complaint from the ruling party Chief Whip Rajendran.

The Speaker’s action resulted in various debates and raising of questions.

The by-elections for 18 Assembly constituencies were held on April 18, while the remaining four will vote on May 19.

In the 234-member Tamil Nadu Assembly, the ruling AIADMK has 114 MLAs (including the Speaker), the DMK 88 and the Congress 8, while the IUML and an Independent represent one constituency each.

The AIADMK has to win just four seats in the by-elections to attain a simple majority. But factoring in the possible switching of camps by some lawmakers, the AIADMK needs to win seven or eight seats in order to be safe.

On the other hand, the DMK has to win all the 22 seats to take its tally, along with its allies Congress and IUML, to 119, one more than what is required for a simple majority.